According to the U.S. Census Bureau's figures, Iowa has grown in population from 2,926,324 in 2000 to 3,007,856 in 2009. This represents a population growth of approximately 2.8%.

According to Episcopal Church statistics, the Diocese of Iowa went from Average Sunday Attendance (or ASA) of 4,182 in 1998 to 3,193 in 2008. This represents an ASA decline of about 24% over this ten year period.

As a native Iowan and a cradle Episcopalian, I am saddened as much as I am unsurprised. While home to visit my mother, I arrived at the church of my youth at the posted time and found it unlocked but empty. After a minute or two, a man arrived. He explained that few attend, and said that if I would lead Morning Prayer he would remain to join me. I did so, wondering if not having diocesan blessings on me. I have pictures from my childhood of Church School gatherings with more than 80 children. How the might have fallen.

Again, the stat page link doesn’t work. You can go here and generate it yourself.

What I see is that the diocese declined fairly rapidly in 2001 to 2003 and then was stable till 2006 when it starting diving again. Scarfe was made bishop in 2003. There was a 6% drop in 2007 and a 4% drop in 2008. You can check out Scarfe’s bloated staff here. He has an executive assistant, a diocesan assistant, a diocesan ministry developer, a deployment officer, a diocesan ministry officer, a financial and planned giving officer, a youth missioner, an operations manager, and an assistant to the bishop. Whew. All for a diocese that has ~3,000 in the pews. My prediction? The youth missioner needs to be looking for a job because she will be the first to go.

David Handy+ will be saddened to know that this liberal leftist was actually at one time a lecturer at Wheaton College.

Iowa had a rather typical TEC experience duing 2002 through 2008 with Members down 10.6 percent, ASA down 17.5 percent, and Plate & Pledge (adjusted for inflation) down 7.3 percent. Using these data I ranked the diocese at 53 of 95 considered. But the future looks to be more of the same. In 2008 there were 49 Infant Baptisms and 62 Burials. And in 2008, 79 percent (49 of 62) of its churches had Plate & Pledge of less than $150K which means that each “rich” church had four “poor” churches to help. Also in 2008, 44 of its 62 churches had ASA of 70 or less (where the TEC median would predict 31). And of these 44 there were 19 with ASA of 20 or less. There will be no shortage of churches from which to pick for closure. This is a sad picture of the future for this diocese. Statmann

You never cease to amaze me. How in the world did you know that fact about the “liberal leftist” once being a teacher at my beloved alma mater, Wheaton College? But you’re right. I’m always sad to hear of someone going down the tubes spiritually and falling into utter deception, and in turn becoming the agent of deceiving others.

And Statmann (#3),

Once again, thanks for the additional info. And as usual, I’m particularly glad you called attention to the disturbing fact that a whopping 79% of Iowa’s TEC congregations have a Plate & Pledge under $150K, and that 19 of its 62 churches are so tiny that their ASA is 20 or less. The future bodes ill indeed for TEC in Iowa, just as elsewhere.